Video Game Addict
by U-Madder
Summary: AU. Sophie begins to realise Sian's serious addiction to video games, and decides to act on it before her girlfriend destroys her life. Siophie, Sophie/Sian.
1. Chapter 1

**Summary: AU. Sophie begins to realise Sian's serious addiction to video games, and decides to act on it before her girlfriend destroys her l** **ife. Siophie, Sophie/Sian.**

* * *

 **A/N: Slightly unsure where I came up for this one, but I've never successfully wrote about an addiction beforehand. Smoking and alcoholism are kind of complex, so I decided to choose…well, video games, as I love them myself (I'm not an addict, even though I think I could be to writing Sophie and Sian fanfiction!).**

 **I decided to use Sian as the 'addict' since most people would relate the situation to Sophie, mainly because of her personality. Wanting to vary this trend, however, I used Sian to become the gaming-obsessed geek.**

 **This one's also devoted to my school friends for proof-reading and helping me out with some plotholes, so thank you! And I hope you all enjoy!**

* * *

 **Video Game Addict**

 **Chapter One**

* * *

"C'mon, c'mon…" Sian thrashed the buttons of her Xbox One controller, a cacophony of screaming and shooting filling up the room. Her bloodshot eyes were glued to the fifty-four inch screen, gawking at the gruesome game through thick-framed, geek glasses, "If I can just…oh, fuck yes!" She dropped the controller on her lap, massaging her thumbs in self-satisfaction; Sian had been playing _Call of Duty: Black Ops III_ for the past…seven, eight hours? Nine? However long it had been, the blond felt as if she deserved a short thirty-second break, before getting her fingertips back on the see-through, green controller.

Her uncompleted Maths homework lay empty on the dusty desk, one which was used for game character figurines and countless disk cases. Next to the double-sided sheet was her phone, which frequently bleeped and lit up. Be as it may, Sian wasn't particularly concerned over the increasing number of missed texts, being too devoted and focused on her intensive gameplay to bother replying.

Without thinking, Sian scooped the controller once again, immediately sliding the joystick in all directions and smashing the letter-coded buttons. She continued to play for what had seemed like minutes, yet in reality was several more hours.

"Sian…" Sophie stood at the doorway, knocking on the door out of habit. The brunette had messaged her girlfriend at least fifty times throughout the day, reminding her of their date plans. Eventually growing weary and frustrated, she decided to catch the bus and head towards Sian's home, wanting to uncover the older girl's mysterious absence.

Now, at least, she knew why.

"…huh?" Sian took a few seconds to reply, her eyes still glued to the screen, despite Sophie's presence.

"For God's sake… _this_ is why you've blown me off?! To play your flamin' computer games all day?!" She ranted, stomping into the room.

"…mm, I'm busy…" The blond's expression was that of a mindless zombie, murdering countless characters on her game. Her mouth hung slightly agape, aimlessly staring at the graphic scenery.

"How long have you been playing that shit for?" Sophie's tone soon lowered - growing rapidly concerned - with a slight hint of anger. She gazed at Sian's empty homework on the desk, "Babe, that's got to be in tomorrow. Sir will go nuts."

"…Eh…ain't coming in…" Sian mumbled, her full focus remaining on the game, "Too busy…"

"Sian?! Earth to Sian?!" Groaning, Sophie waved a hand in front of Sian's face; still, she received barely an appropriate response, "This is getting ridiculous now! You never make time for me, it's all about those flipping games with you!"

"…mm…" Nodded Sian.

"She barely gets any exercise either…" Sian's mother, Janet, heaved out a deep sigh, "It's important that she gets out and about, socializing like a typical teenager should. This lifestyle isn't healthy. I wish she'd have a break and have a little walk around, whether it'd be the street or the local park."

Sophie whined, squeezing her eyes shut; she yearned for Sian to show her some form of attention. The situation had been lasting several weeks, the blond refusing to tear her consistently-strained, deep blue orbs away from the vibrant flat screen. From planting sweet, soft kisses on the blond's neck to wearing revealing sexy lingerie, she hadn't stopped attempting to gain her girlfriend's deepst interests and desires.

"Sian, please..." The brunette's frustration was literally causing her to well up, "I hate it when you do this…please, I love you…" She sniffled uncontrollably, sadly glancing at Janet.

"SIAN POWERS!" Janet's voice echoed throughput the room, her temper overpowering her typically calm demeanour. She sympathized with Sophie, thoroughly understanding how her daughter's obsession practically consumed her. But who was she to stop Sian from buying her games and doing what she most loved? "STOP LOOKING AT THAT BLOODY SCREEN AND LISTEN TO YOUR GIRLFRIEND!"

Cocking an eyebrow, Sian fianlly turned around, faced with an enraged Janet and a distressed Sophie.

"How about you and me nip down to the park?" Sophie suggested, cracking a smile and wiping her tears away with the back of her sleeve, "We could have a punnet of chips and chuck them at the pigeons? I know it's your favorite game."

"I feel kinda achy, babe…and I'm still busy. Maybe another time…" Sian, immediately after saying that, turned back to the 18-rated video game, hardly acknowledging the fact that she even had somebody to kiss and cuddle right within her grasp.

"Achy because you're a lazy cow."

"Huh?" Sian frowned.

"You don't do any exercise whatsoever!" Sophie ranted, her temper soon spiralling out of control, "You're always sitting on your arse, smashing those bloomin' buttons on your poxy controller. All you exercise is your thumbs, what about the rest of your body? You even admitted you pissed in a bucket because you couldn't handle being away from screens too long. And you wonder why you're always achy…I'll tell ya Sian, it's becuase you're a lazy flamin' cow!"

Both Sian and Janet were absolutely flabbergasted by Sophie's shocking reaction. The youngest Webster girl was normally so calm, cool and collected, but given the current circumstances her outburst was somewhat expected.

"I walk around in school…" Sian finally said, shrugging once again. As if she hadn't even heard Sophie.

Sophie scoffed, "You stay in the computer room all day playing _Clash of Clans!_ "

"…and?"

" _And_ it's not normal! We're meant to be in a relationship, Sian! But it seems as though it's totally one-sided! You're always ignoring the fact that I exist!"

"I don't…" The blond looked down, the tips of her fingers suddenly supergluing themselves to the sticker-infested controller. She hadn't invited anybody into her room. She hadn't wished to converse with anyone. She just wanted to sit, concentrate, and play some _Call of Duty_. Without _any_ distractions.

Normally, Sian was able to get a perfect, non-interrupted, twelve-hour sitting of playing countless video games. Occasionally, her mother would walk in to provide her with food or water, yet she was never talkative and exited within seconds. Only now…Janet and Sophie had burst in, rambling on and on about thing Sian wasn't even listening to. She zoned out, entering her own little world of first-person shooters and role-playing games.

"You're doing it right now! Blanking me!"

"…mm…" Sian simply mumbled.

"I might as well go Janet," Sophie's voice cracked, clear drops forming in the corners of her eyes once more, "I'll see Sian tomorrow in Maths…if she even turns up."

"Sian! You're making poor Sophie upset again! Now get off that fat arse of yours!" Sian had a little baby fat about her, and Janet was aware a comment like this would certainly gain her daughter's utmost attention; even if it would likely offend her.

Sian tore her eyes away from the game, reluctantly peeping down at her slight paunch, "I ain't fat…" She poked and prodded at it, watching it jiggle against her loose t-shirt, "…just a little chubby…"

"And zero-exercise is the cause of it," Sophie murmured, mentally rolling her eyes, "If you want to work off your 'chubbiness' slash 'baby fat', then maybe you could stop blowing me off and go out on a fun, exciting walk!" Attempting to raise her optimism high, the slightly tanned, dark-haired teen dismissed her perturbed nature, carefully emphasizing her wording to do this. Nevertheless, she was on the brink of crying hysterically inside, as she had been for several minutes.

"…walk…?" Whinged Sian, almost as though she had never placed two feet on the ground for her entire life.

"Yes, Sian," This time, Sophie physically rolled her eyes, " _Walk_. You know, getting out and about. Exercising your body. Not sitting around, playing games and slurping fizzy drinks all day. Walking. It's a natural human thing."

"Not natural for me. That second description of yours sounded like heaven though. Relaxing in my gaming chair, killing all those zombies, having a good five cans of cola. Even having a chocolate chip cookie or two-"

"Sian!" Janet interrupted, "You haven't even listened to us whatsoever! Whatever we call you…lazy, fat, even abnormal, you still go back to your bloody gaming system! Now you'll get out with Sophie, exercise yourself and return feeling energized and healthy! You even need some Vitamin D on your skin, you're looking quite peaky and pale. Walking around in the nice sun will do the trick."

"…ehm…it's winter…" Gazing outside of her window, Sian noted the grey, dull and miserable skies, hardly a beam of sunlight creeping through the thick clouds.

"And that prevents you from having a fun day out?!"

"…yeah…it's cold…and I'm happy staying in. Even if I am lazy and fat…" She lay back against her leather gaming chair, silently fiddling with her fingers. Until then, Sian hadn't revealed how hurt she'd been by Sophie and Janet's comments, instead choosing to brush off the somewhat truthful insults.

"God gave you legs for a-"

"Okay!" Sian propped herself off the chair, throwing her headset down; she was growing tired of…well, everybody interrupting her amazing, record-breaking, nine hour gaming session, screaming every sudden thought down her ear, "I'll take a little walk with Sophie, just to get you and her off my back…but don't delete my progress…I'm coming straight on it when I get back."

"Hallelujah!" Sophie emitted a short giggle, pecking Sian's cheek. Despite how her girlfriend was acting as though she was forced to do a monotonous chore, the younger girl was nothing short of desperate for them to spend any form of quality time together. All her exasperation and unhappiness had rapidly subsided, replacing her negativity with a sense of…hope? Positivity? Light upon the situation?

She grabbed Sian's hand and practically dragged the blond outside the comfort of her quaint, tranquil home, kindly dressing both herself and Sian in appropriate winter attire.

"So, where to?" An excitable Sophie skipped about, this entire experience being an absolute novelty, "Around the streets? Maybe catch a bus to town? Chuck chips at pigeons in the park?"

"Ehm…maybe the game store? There's this _Star Wars R2D2_ controller I badly wanted. Oh, and I need a new chatpad to jaw with my mates on Xbox Live. It…kinda broke. I smashed some of the keys when I got pissed off."

"Temper temper babe," Sophie chuckled, shaking her head, "And as long as we walk there, I honestly don't mind. But we're not catching no buses, nor cabs or trams. I'm determined to get you more active."

"But…my back kinda hurts…I told you I was achy." Sian persisted, only wanting to sit down in a warm, padded vehicle so she was able to play either _Clash of Clans_ or _Minecraft_ on her phone. It wasn't as if she resented spending time with Sophie. In fact, she thoroughly enjoyed it…when the two would have a gaming or _Netflix_ date. Even watching a nice adventure movie in the local cinema was pleasurable. For herself, at least.

"No Sian…we're walking to the game store and that's final," Sophie crossed her arms firmly over her chest, You're achy because you bearly move. I told you this earlier, didn't I?"

"Yeah, yeah…you did. About twenty times…"

"Now let's get our walk on and work this belly off," She patted Sian's abdomen, "You'll be fit as a fiddle before you know it."

"Ehm…okay…sure…"

In her heart, Sian craved for Sophie's sweet, cherry-red lips on her own. Howbeit, in her mind, she was thirsty to squeeze another hour of brainless, horrific shooting into her day. She loved Sophie with all she had…but she was devoted to gaming for life.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary: AU. Sophie begins to realise Sian's serious addiction to video games, and decides to act on it before her girlfriend destroys her life. Siophie, Sophie/Sian.**

* * *

 **Video Game Addict**

 **Chapter Two**

* * *

"I don't believe this…" Sophie murmured, leaning against the window of the bus. Sian sat beside her, contentedly tapping her phone. A small, plastic carrier bag from _Game_ was clasped within her grasp, containing pathetically expensive gaming accessories. The blond, of course, used her clothing money to afford it, "I seriously don't…"

"…mm…" The bright, white light shone from the touchscreen device onto Sian's face, framing her sickly features. She was enveloped in a technological world, oblivious to the reality surrounding her.

Things had been going well before. Sophie and Sian walked along the pavement towards the gaming store, holding their hands and acting like a typical teenage couple. Not once had Sian picked up her phone, instead conversing with her girlfriend about anything and everything. When gadgets and gizmos were pocketed, the twosome were able to spend quality time together.

Arriving at _Game_ was a similar matter; the girls strode in, Sian always overwhelmed by the amount of gaming material stocked up on the shelves. It was an expected reaction for her, judging upon her sheer enthusiasm for games. For a couple of minutes, Sophie wandered around with Sian, unsure of what to do. She glanced at the tiny figurines and gift cards, attempting to unscramble each one's purpose. Meanwhile, Sian whipped up her required items in a matter of seconds. Clearly she knew the entire store well, locating half of the products sold.

However…there was an Xbox at the front of the room, containing _Halo 5: Guardians_. Much like most gaming stores, there was a test console provided for one to play a popular game. Sian, having never played this before, was intrigued by it and decided to investigate…leaving Sophie to her own devices. For _three_ hours.

Obsessed and thrilled by the science-fictional franchise, Sian was cemented to the controller, skillfully progressing through the difficult gameplay. The other customers and staff fully encouraged her, delighted of how a sudden newcomer managed to briskly omplete half of the game without breaking a single sweat.

Following the rigorous, in-depth sitting, Sian purchased another copy of the game, desperate to try it out once she returned home.

Sophie, meanwhile, had entered almost every single store in Weatherfield's town centre, striving to pass the excess time she had gained. From the jewellers to the pound shop, the brunette became increasingly uninterested in her repetitive, tedious activity. Her original intentions were to have a nice, long walk with her girlfriend, typically around the park. Yet, Sian had turned it into another gaming session, completely ignoring Sophie's existence within the store…

Again.

Once Sian had finished in _Game_ , she texted Sophie, informing her for them to meet outside _Greggs Bakery_ , where the bus stop was located. Sophie arrived five minutes sharp, witnessing Sian stuffing her face with two gingerbread men. She complained about appalling Sian's diet until the bus had arrived, where the twosome stepped on-board.

"Shit yeah!" Sian shouted aloud with excessive enthusiasm, beginning to attack another player's village on _Clash of Clans_ , "Time to destroy this bastard!" Other travellers on the bus glared at the blond, disturbed by her usage of language on a public transport.

"Sian…" Sophie nudged the elder girl, blushing deeply, "Stop shouting…"

"…eh?" Raising an eyebrow, Sian refused to tear her eyes away from the small screen.

"We was meant to be having a walk! But no, you _had_ to go to the game store! You _had_ to play that flamin' _Halo_ for three hours! You _had_ to leave me by myself! You're un-fucking-believable, do you know that?! I thought you was willing to go out with me for once! To be honest, I don't even know why I bother!" Arising from the uncomfortable bus seat, Sophie gripped the grab-hold and patiently waited until the double-decker came to a halt, "I'm going home Sian…I'll see you at school."

"…ehm, yeah…bye."

Allowing a single tear to spill down her cheek, Sophie hopped out the bus and proceeded to walk home, leaving an exceedingly obsessional Sian fiddling with her phone, continuing to brutally attack her opponent's village.

* * *

The next morning, Sophie promptly consumed her breakfast at the dining table and caught the incoming bus to school. Not once had she received an apology from Sian the previous evening, blatantly demonstrating how her girlfriend had been playing _Halo 5._ Either that, or she considered she hadn't done anything wrong in the slightest.

Then…she received one, singular text beside her locker.

 _'Behind you.'_

Raising an eyebrow, Sophie spun around to be greeted with a scruffy-looking Sian. Her tie hung loose around her neck, draping down her untucked shirt. Deep, dark bags had formed beneath her eye sockets. She grinned cheekily, leaning against the wall, "Hey…"

"Ehm…hey…" Clearly, tensions between them had not subsided. One-sided tensions at least, upon Sian not knowing the hurt she'd caused Sophie. Nevertheless, within the pit of stomach, she was really anticipating that Sian would not attend, feeling quite shocked to see the blond…actually standing on two feet.

"Flamin' achool…" Sian groaned, sliding off her hoodie, "At least I've got Engineering and Electronics today." Being a more 'hands-on' student, the blond had chosen both options for her GCSE examinations. She aspired to become a…video game developer? A video game producer? Even a professional YouTuber uploading video game related content. She was somewhat unsure of her future occupation, having hardly considered it. Anything related to technology or gaming was appropriate for her.

Sophie, on the other hand, was far more academic. Her passion was English Literature, having read copious copies of Shakespearean tales and iconic classics which influenced the modern writing world. She wished to become a self-employed author, although knew it was rather tricky.

"Shocked you weren't playing that…thingy 5."

" _Halo 5_ ," Sian corrected, "And yeah, I was. Yesterday afternoon. It was so sick…I proper got into it at _Game_ , so I knew what to do the second time round. I'm kinda knackered though, I played right through the night," She yawned loud, highlighting her statement, "Having to wake yourself up with five cups of coffee is crazy."

Now she was depriving herself of sleep…whatever next? At least she had been quite talkative that morning, not vacantly gazing at her handheld device. No doubt she would be later…or off playing _Clash of_ _Clans_ in the computer room.

"Yeah, crazy…" Sophie half laughed, "…did you…do the Maths?"

"…the Maths?" Sian suddenly frowned, "What Maths?"

Sophie resisted the temptation to sigh, "The homework, Sian…"

"Oh, it's on my desk at home…but I used it as a temporary stand for my _Zelda_ figurine. The other one cracked. And I wasn't coming in at first, so I misplaced it for awhile. Y'know I'm laid back in Maths class…"

"You're laid back in _every_ class."

"…ehm…yeah…" Sian awkwardly scratched the back of her neck, "It's only because I'm always busy…"

"Playing bloomin' games."

"Well…"

Without prior warning, Sian's phone began to bleep, likely a brand-new software update on one of her many gaming apps. She whipped the handheld device out of her blazer pocket, eagerly checking her notifications. A single alert popped up in the corner, informing Sian that her lives on _Candy Crush_ had been fully restored. Another soon flashed through, directly connected to her mobile version of _Minecraft_.

"You seem popular." Sophie snorted, emitting a long, deep, audible breath.

"…mm…yeah…" Dabbing against the screen, Sian instantly became astray in her own separate universe. Overlooking her girlfriend, acting as if she were alone.

With a shake of her head, Sophie gently pecked Sian's lips, "I'll see you in class," and made her way through the bustling corridor, in the direction of the Maths department.

* * *

During the remainder of the school day, Sophie kept her head down and paid close attention in every class. With Sian's significant truancy constantly sparking her mind.

The blond had locked herself in the computer room, playing _Clash of Clans_ , as Sophie recurringly mentioned; she simply knew her girlfriend too well! There was hardly a point of Sian attending school, being as though she remained in air-conditioned seclusion for six hours. If anybody was to knock and question her, Sian would cleverly reply that she was 'repairing one of the computers'. In her defense, she hadn't done her homework, nor had she revised for a Physics test. She couldn't be bothered to tolerate her teachers and classmates tormenting her for being 'dense'.

Whilst Sian lazed around, unconcerned about skipping her classes (and somehow managing to get away with it for the entirety of the of the day, Sophie was preoccupied practicing her Rugby skills in P.E. Although being a far more scholastic student, the brunette wholly adored being active and partaking in several school sports.

Sophie's close friend, Katy, stood nearby, the duo chatting about anything and everything. Their conversation soon turned to Sian, specifically related to her extreme laziness and unsociable nature.

"I tried getting her to walk yesterday…" Sophie smiled sadly, "We did, for a bit…then she got hooked on this demo game at the store. For three hours. So…I was left by myself."

"Three?!" Katy's eyes practically bulged out of their sockets, "And you're saying she's been bunking classes to play games in the computer room?! All day?!"

"…well, yeah…" Sophie looked down to the muddy grass, "No matter what I say or do, she always keeps playing…I'm seriously getting sick of it now. We're meant to be going out…"

"Do you guys even kiss or hug?"

Katy's question hit Sophie like a ton of bricks. She was unable to remember the last time her and Sian properly embraced. The maximum they'd do would be a quick peck on the lips or cheek, hardly satisfying Sophie whatsoever, "No…I rarely see her as it is. She's always up in her room on her Xbox."

"Soph…" Katy took a short break in her words, attempting to gather her thoughts, "I know I shouldn't be the one saying this…but Sian's got a serious problem. It's not just a hobby for her. She's _addicted_ to video games. She finds it difficult to stay away from screens, whether it'd be her console or her phone. You even said she even pisses in a bucket instead of the toilet. It's not normal behaviour."

"And she stayed up during the night playing her new game…" Mumbled Sophie, continuing to avoid eye-contact with Katy.

"That's being addicted. I realized this months ago…but I never had the heart to tell you. I thought it'd upset you too much…"

"No, it's fine…honest…" Finally looking up at her dark-haired companion, Sophie forged a sincere beam, covering her true feelings and emotions, "Let's go and play with others, yeah? I'll…try and talk to Sian."

"You should…otherwise it could get worse." Katy placed a hand on Sophie's shoulder, carefully tucking a little stray hair behind her ear.

"I-I know…I know."

Sophie wanted to inform Katy over her consistent intervening the past couple of weeks, mainly to gain Sian's topmost attentiveness, notwithstanding her various methods never succeeding. She was, anyhow, fearful of Katy's response towards this. Even so, her girlfriend's fixation on video gaming couldn't be resolved by a few humiliating comments through an unnecessary rant. Sophie needed to be patient with Sian. To understand the problem Sian had.

And…to convince the blond that she was, indeed, addicted to gaming.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary: AU. Sophie begins to realise Sian's serious addiction to video games, and decides to act on it before her girlfriend destroys her life. Siophie, Sophie/Sian.**

* * *

 **A/N: Apologies in advance, but I may not get the next chapter up for another fortnight. It's only because I have an incoming exam week and I've got to up my game and revise. I'm so sorry, but I promise this isn't the end.**

* * *

 **Video Game Addict**

 **Chapter Three**

* * *

Once P.E had concluded, a moderately muddy Sophie was stood at her locker, placing her sports bag and books inside the light blue, narrow storage compartment. Since her rigorous discussion with Katy, the final conclusion of Sian being 'addicted' hadn't striked her until that very moment. Now it was all that was lingering upon her mind. She had, deep down, known this for awhile…yet she was unable to face it or accept the fact. Her 'Siany'…having such a concerning, worrying complication.

An addiction. An addiction to video games.

All the key aspects made perfect sense…Sian sitting in her gaming chair, never standing. Unable to look away from the television screen. Playing consistently for innumerable hours, being a potentially harmful effect on her mental capacity and physical state. Keeping a stock of fizzy drinks, sweets and chocolate bars in the side cabinet, having never to stand to fetch these sugary treats. Using a bucket, of all objects, to go to the toilet in. Only thinking about her gaming and nothing else, especially her upcoming GCSE's…and maybe, just maybe, her own girlfriend. Sophie even reckoned that Sian…loved games more then her.

"Soph…" Awkwardly walking towards Sophie was Sian, her eyes watering and red-rimmed. The bags beneath them were, by far, more prominent than that morning, significantly darker and sunken in. She yawned about three times before she managed to talk any further, "I'm…so drained."

"Yeah, and you know why?!" Sophie slammed the locker door shut, frightening the blond by slight, "You've been playing that bloody _Clash of Clans_ all day! All day! It's unreal! And you claim that you 'walk around in school'. Sitting on your arse, in front of a school's computer, is _not_ exercising, nor is it helping your tiredness!"

"…actually, I was playing _Wizard 101_ …I found it installed on the network. Guess the gameplay's a little like _ToonTown._ It's about wizards and-"

"I really don't care what you was playing!" Sophie spat sharply.

"…ehm…"

A deathly, awkward silence soon dwelled between the couple, Sian's confusions raising and Sophie's anger subsiding. Whatever she did or thought, she couldn't stay upset with the blond for long, especially from her temptation to squeeze Sian's chipmunk cheeks.

"…sorry babe…" In an attempt to show her honesty, Sian entwined her fingers with Sophie.

Sophie held back, tightening her clench, "I know…I'm sorry for having a go. You…love your games," It took all the willpower she had not to say 'unhealthily addicted', "How was that…wizardy, 'Harry Potter' like thing you played?"

"It was alright, bit laggy in the overall gameplay, and I didn't like the quality of the graphics. The overall concept was…kinda original, kinda not. I enjoyed playing it though, it was quite fun!"

"Oh, right…" Sophie pretended to be moderately interested, nodding along to every word. She had no idea what 'laggy' meant either. Eventually concluding that it was 'gamers talk', she brushed her curiosity aside ans continued to converse with the blond, "Are you…doing anything later? I know it's a Monday night, and you're knackered, but I'm wondering…since we didn't really see each other today."

"…going home, working on _Halo_ at bit more. Maybe a little _Black Ops_ too."

"What a bloomin' surprise…" Sophie grumbled, turning away, "Have fun being up in your room all evening. Again…" She forced her hand away from Sian's grip, instead sliding it into her blazer pocket.

"Okay…I will." Sian rose an eyebrow, oblivious to Sophie's extreme hurt, though perfectly aware over her girlfriend's dislike towards gaming…whatever the reason it would be.

When she played video games, she felt…free. In reality, Sian was a geeky, glasses-wearing, slightly chubby, technology whizz. Be that as it may, in her miniature universe she was a soldier, a wizard, an adventurer, a fighter, a footballer…all within the short distance of her Xbox One or mobile phone, both conveniently located in the comfort of her stylish bedroom. She could express her swift skills in each game, controlling various protagonists on their significantly divergent journeys. Video games were her escape from the cruel, controlling world that she resided in.

And Sophie…never seemed to understand that. She never understood what it meant to be whoever she wanted to be.

* * *

"Let's do this…" Sian sat in her well-worn, cushioned gaming chair, keeping a firm seize on her controller. She causally lay back, her icy-blue peepers riveted to the gruesome, ghastly bloodshed being displayed on her personal television screen. She had skived off school on a particularly miserable Thursday, pretending to Janet that she was ill with the flu. Only, she hadn't completed the next level on _Halo_ , having no previous time to work on it. And it was very, _very_ important, "I'm _so_ completing this shit in one sitting…" Feeling a little smug since tricking her mother, Sian slyly rose the system's volume and sported her gaming headset, her slightly greasy hair pulled back in a tight ponytail. She hadn't wanted any loose strands to block her eyes.

With a single finger, she pushed her glasses up against the bridge of her nose, refusing to observe any other corner of her spacious room. Her mouth opened wide with a deep inhalation, a sudden drowsiness commencing. Pulling a successful all-nighter was not an easy task, especially with an eavesdropping mother fluttering in and out of one's bedroom.

"Sian?! Are you feeling any better love?!" Janet hollered from downstairs, holding a steaming mug of warm, milky tea, "I've made you a cuppa! Would you like it?!"

"…ehm…no thanks!" Sian took a handful of moments to reply, and, by some means, managed to hear the elder woman chattering away through the explosions and shooting blasting through her lime-green headphones.

"Oh, well okay then…I'll be up with your special banana medicine soon!" Being a mollycoddled, fussy person, the sixteen year-old only took her favorite medication, refusing to consume anything else. It was a 'banana' flavoured, thick, liquefied substance, directed more towards young children than anybody else.

"…oh…fuck…" Sian gulped; she wasn't really unwell, and didn't even need any medicine! "E-ehm, yeah! Okay mum! Thanks! I…ehm, appreciate it!"

"Anything for my little honey-boo."

Sian, who would normally feel herself burning up at Janet's childish nickname, hadn't paid much consideration to what was mentioned, being unduly engaged in the futuristic world of her video game. Narrowly brushing her contemplations over school and, even Sophie, alongside…to make extreme space for all things gaming.

"Now…I need to do this before mum disturbs me…I have to…" Sian pounded the colour-coordinated buttons, operating the controller's joystick in an attempt to move _Halo's_ unseen protagonist.

* * *

For Sophie, the following couple of days was a complete blur, flying by in an instant. A stressful, surreal blur; teachers piling on worksheets, students ultimately taking things seriously. Nevertheless, the brunette kept her head down and worked, having a conscientious attitude - despite all that was being thrown upon her. She was efficient in the notes she produced, prideful and passionate over her outstanding performance. Or…maybe she was working so hard because of Sian's daunting disappearance?

Especially since the blond would, most likely, had been playing hours of video games. And bunking off school to do so, faking some form of exaggerated sickness.

The brunette, who was home after school, lazed around on the cozy couch. She held a teenage-aimed magazine, flicking the pages every couple of seconds. In an attempt to cast her thought-track away from Sian…and her unfortunate case.

 _'Sian's got a serious problem,'_ the sound of Katy's voice echoed through Sophie's mind, _'It's not just a hobby for her. She's_ addicted _to video games._ '

Addicted…addicted…addicted.

"What do I do…?" She asked herself, massaging her temples, "Now she's skiving…"

Rosie strode through the living room, wearing a face mask and silken dressing gown, "Hey Soph babes, mum's nipped out for a bit…want some of her red wine to prove you're _so_ grown up?" This was more of a snide, catty remark than anything else. Sophie wasn't in the mood to deal with her sister's tricks and teasing.

"Shut your trap." Sophie narrowed her eyes in annoyance, glaring at the glamorous young woman.

Rosie snorted, flicking her long, luscious, shoulder-length hair over her bare shoulder, "You're such a misery guts. You've got _no_ sense of humor," Silencing for a couple of moments, she she soon changed the topic of conversation, "Oh, are you reading that magazine?"

"Ehm…yeah. Why?"

"Because I wanna look at that model's hair. It's dead tacky," With a lithe, heavily manicured finger, Rosie pressed against a beautiful woman's head on the thin page, "Mine's well healthier-"

"Rosie, I don't care about your flamin' hair!" Sophie barked, forcing the magazine shut, "Now just go away!" Sian's worsening condition was pressurizing Sophie to the very core, causing her to consider on whether to take action; she certainly hadn't wished for Rosie to irritate her any longer, especially whilst she was contemplating her future actions.

"Okay, okay…Christ, someone got out of the wrong side of bed this morning. You're so fucking moody today." Upon that note, Rosie stomped out of the room and up the stairs, mumbling illegible things as she went.

"Yeah, I did…suppose you could say that."

What was she to do? Intervene? She couldn't, it wasn't right. Sian adored gaming with all her might. The overall concept of computer-generated simulations even kept her sanity in-check at times. And still…Sian's idolization was an addiction. Whether she cherished gaming or not, this prime factor hadn't concerned Sophie in the slightest. In fact, she didn't care that her girlfriend treasured gaming; a dependancy on technology for entertainment and satisfaction hadn't been…healthy. Surely it wasn't. In that sense, it was assuredly an addiction. There was no denying it.

Sian really needed help. A therapist, a counsellor…somebody to talk to about her issues. Only, convincing the blond that she had an unlucky, complex problem was far from simple. Sian believed she was innocently playing games, blinded and controlled by her own interests and desires. Sophie, on the other hand, had recognized the alarming verity long ago, only beginning to 'face the music' since Katy's declaration.

Sophie had to do something. She _had_ to. Intervening with her girlfriend's apparent 'innocent hobby' or not, it was gradually morphing into a set of circumstances that could impact Sian's subsequent lifestyle. An impact for the worse. One which may become frightfully permanent.

After all, she was Sian's partner…so she was fully entitled to deal with the blond's complications. She loved Sian Powers to the moon and back, and yet…she was remaining unsure if the older girl reciprocated her own affectionate endearment and tenderness.

Sian…loving games more than her own girlfriend?

It shattered her heart in one-hundred pieces to even consider it. But a wise Katy was not intending to upset her friend, only wishing to state the dire truth. Even if this were true, the truth still hurt. Her supposed 'significant other' staring in awe and admiration at her strategy-incorporated, gory games; a look of which should've been reserved for Sophie. Not the virtual reality that Sian seemingly lived in. The blond's real-life, imperfect, somewhat smart girlfriend.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary: AU. Sophie begins to realise Sian's serious addiction to video games, and decides to act on it before her girlfriend destroys her life. Siophie, Sophie/Sian.**

* * *

 **Video Game Addict**

 **Chapter Four**

* * *

"What to do…? What to do…?" Sophie stood uneasily outside Sian's house, twiddling with her thumbs. Although recognizing the severity behind her girlfriend's addiction, she hadn't exactly known how to resolve it. Forcing Sian off her gaming console was the most efficient option, however would doubtlessly result in chaos. Another possibility could be to tempt Sian into getting out and about, performing activities she relished. And still, Sophie had somewhat attempted this the week previously, only for Sian to find her way back to computerized gaming, "For fuck sakes…I don't know what to do about this."

On the spur-of-the-moment, Sophie hastily knocked on the glossy door, only waiting a couple of seconds for Janet to open it.

"Oh, hello Sophie," She sounded relatively shocked to see her daughter's girlfriend, raising a thin eyebrow by slight, "Sian's…upstairs. But she's not feeling very well, she came down with a little cold yesterday. Have you…been at school?" The elder woman scrutinized Sophie's uniformed attire, chuckling at the brunette's shabbiness.

"Yeah, just left…I was wondering where Sian was, since she never messaged me or anything…now I know, I guess…" That was a blatant lie; Sophie knew exactly why Sian wasn't in school, and it certainly wasn't because she had been 'feeling unwell'. Even though she hadn't seen Sian for several days, she managed to depict the exact reasoning behind the blond's absence…after all, it was plainly obvious.

Janet nodded, smiling, "Well, since you've bussed it over our way, would you like to pop in for a cuppa? Sian'll definitely come down to see you. She's wearing a warm, snuggly onesie, so she'll be alright out of bed for a couple of minutes. My God do I spoil her when she's poorly! Warm cuddles, wet kisses, yummy hot chocolate drinks!"

Sophie discreetly rolled her eyes before painting on a realistic smile, "Course I will."

Upon that note, Janet walked into the house, enabling Sophie to step in and do the same. Whilst her partner's mother pottered around in the tiny kitchen, preparing parching beverages, Sophie snuck through the wooden-floored corridor and carefully trod up the stairs. She wanted to see Sian for herself…and clarify the accuracy behind her quite rational prediction.

Creeping up beside Sian's white, bedroom door, Sophie peered inside and - much to her anticipation - spotted a familiar blond…unwinding in her single bed, playing an unknown video game while wearing her fairly expensive headphones. As Janet said, Sian was clad in a light blue, furry onesie, resting her head against the duck-feathered, Pokemon-covered cushion. She poked her tounge out in an act of concentration, pushing it against the upper right side of her mouth.

"Sian!"

"…mm…" Scarcely hearing Sophie, Sian remained playing her gory game. Again, unrecognizing the brunette's voice, resulting from the thundering sound of gunfires and explosions clouding her senses.

"For God's sake!" Sophie stomped in, promptly standing in front of the screen. She spread her arms out, blocking three-quarters of the blond's view, "Sian! Earth to Sian!"

"…Soph, move…" Sian mumbled, unable to detect Sophie's exact wording yet growing irritated by her lack of vision. She needed to witness every moment of her game, and couldn't do this by being suddenly interrupted, "…I'm trying to play…"

"So let me get this straight; you've basically bunked off school just to play video games?! For two days?! And your mum actually thinks you're unwell?!" Sophie hissed, narrowing her eyes, "I don't fucking believe this! I actually don't! You're unreal Sian Louise Powers!" Never did she use Sian's full name unless she was absolutely infuriated.

"…what…?" Sian slid her headphones down, curling them around her neck, "…I'm busy-"

"Playing video games!" Sophie snorted, interrupting the older girl, "You're busy playing flamin' video games! You've taken the last two days off to play them! You've lied to your mum! She seriously thinks you're sick! But you ain't, you just don't feel like getting off your fat arse! And when you was in school, you were in the flipping computer room all day!"

"Is…that a problem? I couldn't really be bothered…"

"That's the problem! You can _never_ be bothered Sian! Last week, when we were _meant_ to go for a walk? Oh no, that's too difficult for you! Going to the poxy gaming store was the next best option!"

"…s-sorry…" Sian looked down, twiddling her fingers nervously. She was aware she hadn't spent a substantial, appropriate amount of time with Sophie. But…she was too preoccupied to do anything, "I-I haven't…felt up to it recently. I said I was achy and everything…"

Sophie simply rolled her eyes, relatively tired of Sian's consistent excuses. Not only was an addiction horrific to have for somebody, it was an absolute pain for the witness to contend with. The brunette was slowly learning this, with patience being the major factor. As awkward and as tiresome as it was, Sophie needed this quality to manage the circumstance in a suitable, logical way, otherwise Sian would _never_ overcome her problems.

"…have you been to school?" Sian ironically changed the subject.

"Yeah, just came out…I came here to…see you." The first step to dealing with an addicted associate; not directly informing them of their addiction the first time round. Sophie remembered learning a similar topic in Year Nine, only it was related to alcoholism. She couldn't state her actual reasoning, Sian would deny everything in an instant. Sophie knew her girlfriend too well.

"…oh, ehm…okay…" Sian looked up by slight, desperately wanting to continue playing.

"So, if you feel like it…do you wanna go out?" Even though she was expecting a sudden denial, Sophie wished to make a difference in the blond's behaviour, "Maybe…to that bowling place in the shopping centre?"

"…ehm…"

"Siany!" Janet giggled excessively, striding into the bedroom with a lukewarm mug of tea and several double-chocolate chip cookies, "I've made you your-SIAN!?" Her eyes instantaneously widened, noticing her daughter's upright position and firm grip on the Xbox controller; clearly _well_ in every shape and form, "You're…not resting…you're playing those flippin' video games AGAIN! WERE YOU PERFECTLY WELL ALL THIS TIME?!" Her voice echoed throughout the two-bedroom home, bouncing back a handful of times.

Sophie and Sian looked at each other, both quite fearful as a result of Janet's mood swings. An incredibly awkward silence dwelled for several microseconds; right before the eldest woman screamed again.

"WELL SIAN?! I'M WAITING!"

"…y-yeah…sorry mummy…" Sian pulled the covers close to her chest, her glasses shifting down the bridge of her nose by slight. She would always call Janet 'mummy' if she was lost, afraid, or searching for extreme cuddles.

"Sorry?! SORRY?! You're SORRY?! No, no…this is ridiculous! You're not SORRY! If you were apologetic you wouldn't of even done it! You know by now that skipping school isn't right whatsoever! Your GCSE's are coming soon, and if you're missing valuable classes, God knows how you'll pass them! Unless you start studying more and attending school, then the games are banned!"

"B-banned…?" Sian repeated, her eyes significantly widening in a matter of milliseconds. She felt very, _very_ disheartened to hear this, hardly expecting Janet to resort to such drastic measures. Banned? From games? For how long? The blond couldn't cope without playing a short round of _Call of Duty_ or _Clash of Clans_ , nor an intensive session of her newly discovered _Halo_.

"Yes, BANNED! And I'd be absolutely ecstatic if you spent time with Sophie, seeing as though that bloody Xbox occupies almost your entire day. She's your girlfriend Sian. And she hardly sees you, whether in school or out. You never get out of this bloomin' bedroom! So, to solve that 'problem', I thought it'd be lovely if you went out for the afternoon; she's really gone out of her way to see you, considering school's just finished and everything. Do me a favour and stop being such a selfish, spoiled child and act like you're in a proper adult relationship!"

Sian glared at her mother maleficiently, the seize on her controller notably tightening.

"Sian…" Sophie trailed off for a few moments, noting her girlfriend's obvious hurt, "What your mum's _trying_ to say is-"

Forcing herself off the bed, Sian stomped over to her Xbox and savagely pushed her finger into the power button, shutting down the system in an instant, "I'll get changed…" She sadly examined the slick, glistening, electronic device, "Give me ten minutes…"

* * *

Upon the journey to Coronation Street's corner bus stop, Sophie and Sian stole frequent glances, though no words were exchanged. Following the blond's prevention of continuing to play her games, she wished not to converse; after all, it was Sophie's fault. If she hadn't been so incredibly nosy, than Janet wouldn't of uncovered Sian's 'little' secret.

Sian whipped out her phone from her jogging bottom's pocket, briskly turning it on and allowing the bright, white light to flash intensively on her pasty, rounded, chipmunk cheeks.

"Sian…" Sighed Sophie, feeling immensely guilty over her previous actions, "I'm sorry…I know you wanted to play…whatever you was playing, but I just wanted to see ya. You've been…cooped up in your room, ditching school, so we haven't been able to meet up or anything."

"…mm, yeah…" From both attempting to concentrate and quite upset by Sophie's sudden negotiation, Sian brushed her girlfriend's apology to one side.

"Please Sian!" Sophie found herself beginning to tear up at Sian's total lack of reaponse, only for more than one significant reason, "I'm sorry! I understand you wanted to stag at home! I get that! But we barely see each other!"

"…"

"I give up!" A single, salty drop cascaded down Sophie's cheek, her hands raising dramatically to emphasize her upset and exasperation, "I really do!"

Minutes passed like seconds, and soon enough the incoming, lower decker bus came to a gradual halt at its respective stopping-point. Sophie boarded first, followed by Sian, whose fingertips were happily tapping against the greasy, fingerprint-marked screen.

Sophie plopped down beside the window, gazing gormlessly at the cobbled streets of her hometown. She resisted the urge to cry, though it was extremely difficult. What was so…off-putting about herself that caused Sian to repel as frequently as she did, turning to her incredibly addictive technology? She wasn't argumentative or unpleasant to be around. She was a kind, considerate, gentle soul who cared for everyone else's well-being. At least, that's what Sally and Kevin had been telling her since she was young enough to talk, walk and understand…

Was she…really that repulsive, driving Sian in preferring gaming over her? Maybe an addiction wasn't the only reason…

Out of the blue, Sophie felt a warm, pale, clammy hand being placed and resting on her own cooler one. Sian was multitasking, having wished to play her mobile games and flash her relationship to all who saw. The brunette warmed up - inside and out - unexpectedly, and certainly unintentionally having a bright glow about her. Sian…holding her hand? It was something extraordinary!

Maybe…things weren't _that_ bad…


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary: AU. Sophie begins to realise Sian's serious addiction to video games, and decides to act on it before her girlfriend destroys her life. Siophie, Sophie/Sian.**

* * *

 **Video Game Addict**

 **Chapter Five**

* * *

The girls' bus journey hardly took any time whatsoever, considering the local arcade was barely twenty minutes away from Sian's home. Potentially even fifteen; neither of the twosome paid much attention to the length of their trip, having being…completely besotted by one another. Much to Sophie's luck, Sian was finally acknowledging her existence. Likely because her Wi-Fi connection was ridiculously slow, and nothing else…

After getting off the large, motor veichle, the teenage couple slowly walked through the town's highstreet and into the miniature shopping centre, their sights set on the small, family-run bowling alley. Several passerbys examined Sophie and Sian, most possessing an irritated glare. Sophie, hardly having to contend with this bigotry, glanced at them in response. Sian was slightly more passive about her anger, though was quite hurt and offended deep down. After all, her and Sian barely held hands, so neither was particularly used to having homophobic views expressed outside of their comforting homes.

Once arriving in the arcade, Sophie turned towards Sian, noting how the blond seemed absolutely infatuated by the various games; from classic PacMan to dramatic first-person shooters, there was no striking, illuminated entertainment system that Sian wouldn't pay to play on; whatever the price it may be. Was this the correct destination to take her, considering Sophie wished for her girlfriend to spend far more time away from all her gadgets and gizmos? Sophie hadn't known; she couldn't exactly read Sian's mind, could she?

"So…" Sophie handed the till operater a ten-pound note and immediately faced her girlfriend, "Do you…want anything to eat? Maybe a drink? It's all on me tonight, there's no need to pay for anything."

"Ehm…a chocolate milkshake?" Sian suggested, shrugging, "I fancy it. I haven't had my daily dose of chocolate all day."

"Course," Nodded Sophie, repeating the older girl's request to the cashier. Seconds later, two chilled, thick milkshakes were handed to the brunette, along with two bowling tickets, "Thank you."

Sian giggled, taking her ticket and milkshake from Sophie's grasp, "This is gonna be dead fun!" She exclaimed, unusually excited for a more physical activity, "Might even beat ya! Though…I ain't gone bowling for awhile now, so I'm a _little_ out of practice." 'Little' was an understatement; the last time Sian went bowling, her father was interested in her life. Since then, her parents' marriage had changed dramatically, resulting in Janet becoming a single parent - having to balance her low-paid occupation with Sian's upbringing.

"Right…" Sophie walked on ahead, attempting to locate their designated lane, whilst slurping her milkshake through a colorful straw, "Are we at number five?"

Sian glanced down at her laminated ticket, "Number five it is."

Sophie and Sian deposited their belongings - including their milkshakes - on the nearby bench, eager to start their game. They inserted the barcoded tickets inside a small machine, enabling them to have full access and control of their particular alley. Their names appeared on the flatscreen television above, with Sian's being automatically highlighted.

"Guess I'm up first," Sian chuckled, grabbing a green, lightweight bowling ball from the dispenser, "Wish me luck babe. I think I'm going to need it."

Sophie, who was sat down at the side, gave her significant lover a charming, cheeky grin and a 'thumbs up'. For once, she was absolutely certain that they'd thoroughly enjoy an interesting, pleasuring, active afternoon out together. As a couple should. _Without_ the interference of video games.

* * *

Half an hour had speedily passed, with each girl only having their third turn. Whether as Sophie was a confident, fluent bowler, Sian struggled immensely to grip and carry even the smallest of bowling balls. In spite of the lane being a mere metre away from the dispenser, Sian became incredibly breathless and couldn't bring herself to transport the ball. It was simply…too heavy for her. She was fatigued and relatively puny, bringing an incredible amount of pain upon herself. All from attempting to clutch the most weightless of bowling balls.

"Baby, no…no, not like that," Sophie exhaled deeply, putting a hand over Sian's, "Put your fingers _and_ thumb into the holes, it'll help your grip on the ball. That's how they work, you see. From using your thumb instead, it won't put as much pressure on your pinkie finger."

"Oh…ehm…right…" Sian reluctantly placed her thumb into the third hole, "…like this?"

"Yeah, you've got it," Sophie smiled encouragingly, "It's really not that difficult at all. Now all you have to do is roll it down the lane. You…kinda chucked it before. Into the air. That's why the ball kept entering the grooves down the side."

"…hey, thanks for your advice and everything, but I think I wanna take a little rest for awhile. To get the hang of things, yunno? Taking in your suggestions and that." Placing the ball beside the remaining others, Sian retreated back to the bench. Without allowing Sophie to convince her into continuing any longer.

"Okay…" Sophie knew Sian was growing slothful and unwilling to attempt anything new. This wasn't the first time incidents similar to this had occurred, mostly during their date afternoons and evenings. Her girlfriend couldn't be bothered with anything involving movement, "I'll just…take your turns then."

She was more dumbfounded by the blond's absolute spinelessness than anything else; how could Sian be that incapacitated? Although she was completely inactive, she should've been able to pick up a simple bowling ball weighing _far_ less than a kilogram. From this, Sian clearly had not an ounce of muscle mass on her. It wasn't healthy in the slightest, and proved to Sophie how Sian only exercised her wrists, fingers and hands. The brunette was somewhat astounded as to how Sian had never experienced repetitive strain injury, considering those were the only body parts she consistently used.

Sian slumped over to the seating area and plopped herself down, stretching out her upper limbs as she shifted up to the royal blue, padded back support. Strangely enough, it was almost as comfortable as her gaming chair, though never possessed the sheer flexibility and body-moulding mesh beneath the smooth, soft leather.

"Honestly, I'm shattered," She chuckled, proceeding to crack her knuckles, "Never too tired for a quick game though." Referring to the surrounding consoles, Sian discreetly wagged her eyebrows up and down.

"Great…" Sophie mumbled, gritting her teeth together and gnashing them in frustration; bringing Sian to the arcade was a foolish, rash mistake. Even upon the awarness of games' presence, Sophie still persisted and decided to bring her addicted girlfriend to the place where it was initiated. Deep down, within her very heart, she wished that the situation would've been quite different from before, "Just great…"

"Ehm…sorry…but I'm entitled to be tired…" Sian awkwardly rubbed the back of her neck, unaware of Sophie's actual reasoning behind her annoyance.

"Tired from bowling? Bowling of _all_ the flamin' sports? It's practically the most chilled, laid back sport you can play! How are you tired?! Oh, let me guess; you're the most unfit person I know, you're lazy, and all you seem to do is play with your stupid games!" Sophie felt her blood bubbling, practically verging on reaching the brink of destruction and chaos. Which certainly wasn't a good thing.

"Well sorry…" Tears threatened to escape Sian's eyes, "…my games have nothing to do with this…"

"They're the whole bloody reason you're like this! You don't even turn up to school half the time, and when you do you're totally secluded in the computer room! And nobody can suck you out of it! Your mum's been hurling threats and insults at you for the past couple of weeks - practically begging for you to become more sociable - and you don't seem to care! She loves you Sian! _I_ love you! But the games…they're consuming you! Even if you're humiliated in the most obnoxious way possible, you'll still find a way to blank it out and return your flamin' games! I don't know how, but you somehow do it!"

"…you love ranting at me, don't you?" Sian sniffled, several tears beginning to fall; it truly did hurt to hear those closest to her broadcasting these increasingly frequent outbursts. Only, she was quite cowardly, wishing to avoid absolute confrontation, and simply brushed aside all that was thrown against her, "A-and anyway, none of that's-"

"Katy was right!" Sophie snapped, ceasing Sian's response, "You _are_ addicted!"

"I'm not…addicted…" Sian frowned, acting as if she hadn't known the word's meaning, "Why…were you and Katy gossiping about me…? I thought you never spoke behind my back…"

"Well this time, I did. Sorry for being unfaithful, but life's unfair. Life's so unfair that - sometimes - a girl might forced off her Xbox to spend quality time with the person she loves. An Xbox that she's been playing for almost two days in a row, and skived off school to so."

"Jeez…" The blond closed her eyelids, relaxing into the comfort of the bench, "I get it, you're mad that I don't want to play, you're mad that I'm tired…but you're going a bit overboard."

"Mad?! _Mad_?! Mad doesn't even _begin_ to describe how I'm feeling! I'm disappointed, Sian! Disappointed that you can't even bring yourself to accept that you're addicted! It's really not difficult, even you should know that. Face the facts! Face them! And if you don't admit it…it shows how much you're secretly aware of your problem."

"I-I don't have a problem…" Sian hesitantly fiddled with her fingers, the palms of her hands gradually turning clammy and damp. Sophie was one-hundred percent accurate in all she had said, even managing to depict Sian's cowardice and inability to confess her unusual obsesssion.

"YOU DO!" Sophie hadn't intended to raise her voice, yet she felt as though it was a last resort to thoroughly get through to the blond, glasses-wearer, "WHY CAN'T YOU JUST ADMIT IT ALREADY! YOU'RE SO PATHETIC SIAN! REALLY, YOU ARE!" Others in the alley spun their heads around, quite curious as to what was happening.

"S-shut up! I'm not pathetic-"

"YES YOU FUCKING ARE! YOU'RE PATH-E-TIC! AND I CAN'T DEAL WITH IT ANYMORE! I SERIOUSLY CAN'T! YOU'RE A PATHETIC LOSER WHOSE ONLY FRIENDS INCLUDE THOSE STUPID, FICTIONAL HOLOGRAMS! YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT REALITY REALLY IS! YOU DON'T! WHY DO I EVEN BOTHER WITH YOU?!"

Unpremeditatedly, Sian collapsed into deep sobs, slapping her hands onto her dampened cheeks and allowing her lip to wobble tremendously. She shook and shuddered in sadness, unable to comprehend her own feelings and emotions upon her girlfriend's consistent nit-picking. Now was the final straw. And Sian couldn't discard it any longer. She couldn't even face the brunette, settling on an instant decision to flee out of the room…

…leaving a guilt-ridden Sophie to remain, witnessing her distraught lover attempting to run in the strangest of ways. What had she done? Screaming at Sian only made the situation ten times worse than before. She'd ruined their date. Completely ruined it.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary: AU. Sophie begins to realise Sian's serious addiction to video games, and decides to act on it before her girlfriend destroys her life. Siophie, Sophie/Sian.**

* * *

 **Video Game Addict**

 **Chapter Six**

* * *

Over the weekend, Sophie attempted numerous times to contact Sian. Text messages, emails, linking her on social media, calling her mobile and home phone. And yet, there was no response. None whatsoever. The blond was clearly ignoring all of Sophie's communication methods, likely traumatized from her girlfriend's cruel - however truthful - words on that fateful Friday afternoon.

The more Sian indirectly blanked Sophie, the more Sophie felt horrible over what she'd caused; unnecessary heartache, in which would've gone completely unnoticed if her temper was kept in full check. It was an unfortunate, classic Webster trait to explode without thinking things through. Her father and sister both possessed it too, them being the typical perpetrators of the arguments within their picturesque household.

Sophie snuggled into her girlfriend's stripy hoodie on the living room couch, inhaling the sweet, iconic scent of the blond; an unusual combination of chocolate, lavender and orange. It was a jacket that had been accidentally left behind during the winter holidays, and since Sian hadn't questioned for its return. As a result, Sophie took full advantage of the situation and kept the soft, deep blue hoodie within her clutches. She used it way to pretend Sian was there whenever she was 'occupied', doing 'important' tasks and activities. Now, however, she was using the fragrance-contaminated pullover to attempt in forgetting her horrid outbreak of exasperation.

"You've been moping around since Friday night," Rosie playfully tussled her younger sibling's deep brown locks, grinning cheerily, "C'mon, tell big sister Rosie what's troubling ya. I can help yunno." She applied cherry-red, waxy lipstick to her plump lips, multitasking that with pushing Sophie to the utmost limit. Though I'm Rosie's defense, she had a frequent tendency to act…surpassingly dense.

"No…" Sophie murmured, cuddling into the oversized sleeve, "Just forget about it…please…I'm okay. Honestly…I'm fine." She faked a weakned smile, unhurridly looking up at Rosie.

Rosie crossed her arms firmly over her chest, unconvinced by Sophie's excuse, "Soph, don't lie. Something's up. And I'd like to know what. If it's school, don't stress baby sis. GCSE's are easy-peasy! I was guaranteed all U and E grades!" She pressed her fingertips upon her chest, proud of her apparent achievements.

"Amazing…"

"Hey, when you've got the glamour model looks of Cheryl Cole, grades aren't needed!" Rosie quickly defended, smirking in self-satisfaction, "You aren't bad looking yourself babes. I mean, not _nearly_ as gorgeous as me, but still."

"Shut up, Rosie…" Sophie sniffled, swabbing at her increasingly watery eyes. Rosie genuinely could be a complete pain up the backside, "…leave me alone…I wanna be by myself, okay…?"

"Jesus Christ fine," Rosie scoffed, flicking her stringy hair over her shoulder, "I was only trying to help. Seriously, what's your problem? Something's happened, and you're not telling me what. Well fine, don't even bother now. I've given up with you today. See ya." She narrowed her eyes, spun around on the heels of her feet and stomped through the remainder of the lounge.

Sophie exhaled very painfully, taking Rosie's annoyance to heart. Her sister only meant well, despite being slightly ignorant in terms of her occupation and exam grades. She looked out for Sophie and cherished her like an elder family member would, so why hadn't the youngest Webster informed Rosie of her unfortunate mishaps? Everyone made mistakes, though it seemed like Sophie was on a roll of committing them. First Sian, then Rosie. Who would be next? Sally, Kevin? Potentially her grandfather?

How long would it take before she'd learn the phrase 'think before you speak'?

* * *

Surrounded by endlesss piles of juice cartons and chocolate bar wrappers, Sian had sunken down into her priceless gaming chair, locking herself away from the entirety of the world. For the previous fourteen hours, Saturday afternoon and evening included, gaming had been her one true escape from all of her concerns and burdens.

Sophie blatantly rejoiced in throwing insolent, degrading remarks towards the poor, pitiful blond; at least, Sian perceived the condition in this particular way, not bothering to consider a rage of reasons for her girlfriend's consistent tendency to verbally harm others. And, of course, broadcasting it towards the older girl more than anyone else in existence.

"C'mon, let's do this…" She leaned forward by slight, entirely focused on the newest, upgraded _Grand Theft Auto_ game being displayed on her television screen. With her unoccupied middle finger, she pushed her glasses up onto the bridge of her nose, intensifying her concentration even further, "Time to beat the shit outta them bastard zombies!"

It was difficult to play 'Hakuna Matata' when she loved Sophie very much. Who knows how the Lion King's protagonist managed it! And, although she wished to forget, the thoughts of her girlfriend's unexplained screaming and shouting still lingering within the back of her mind. Games were, nonetheless, a form of drawing oneself away from the reality around her. That was one of the reasons why Sian loved being a gamer; and yet, her own partner couldn't bring herself to accept it. Insulting the blond was the only way in which she could express her incredibly two-dimensional viewpoints.

"Okay, let's target right here…and, oh fuck yes! First time shot! Brutal murder!" Sian had a tendency to add commentary among with her gameplay, as if she were pretending to be a famous YouTuber recording a walkthrough video, "Fuck you zombies! Fuck all of you!" She laughed maniacally, taking her sudden winnings a little too far…and somewhat seriously.

Just as seriously as she'd took Sophie's unintentional - though induced over a long period of time - rant. If not even _more_ seriously than her gaming, which was certainly saying something. Gaming was the one true desirable factor that wouldn't upset her; unless, of course, Sian had failed miserably…which was hardly ever.

* * *

Sophie lay on her single-bed during that rainy, Sunday evening, listening to soulful tunes through her multi-coloured earphones. Her phone was cast to one side, remaining on standby, just in case Sian was to forgive and forget their 'little' quarrel. Nevertheless, she hadn't, and Sophie knew it.

Rosie had deliberately been preoccupied since lunchtime, dramatically exiting the three-bedroom home in front of a miserable, silent Sophie.

"Sophie…" The upfront voice of Sally was followed by an impatient knock on the teenager's door, "You've been sulking in your room since one o'clock. Tell us love…what's wrong?" She turned to Kevin, who possessed a permanent, concerned frown.

Sophie didn't reply. Although hearing her persistent, snooty mother quite clearly through her music, she couldn't be bothered to respond in the slightest. Not even emitting a growl or a mumble; nothing, zero words. Sally would then bombard her youngest child with irritating, irrelevant questions once receiving a satisfying retaliation, and Sophie really wasn't in the mood to answer any of them. She was - in fact - _far_ from in the mood.

"Is it to do with school and your exams?" Kevin called out, "Don't worry, they don't determine your future completely. It's all about making yourself liked by a potential boss. How d'you think I started off as a mechanic?"

"They do Kevin…don't start getting Soph in that 'I'll just talk smooth and hope for the best' state of mind…it's bad enough when one of our daughters has it…" Sally shook her head out of dissatisfaction, "Anyway, your father's trying to figure out what's wrong. So am I, for that matter. If we don't know what's gone on, we'll be unable to sort it."

Kevin tapped his knuckles against the pure white, wooden bedroom door, emulating his wife's rap minutes beforehand, "Sophie, c'mon…Rosie said you was moody earlier, though she couldn't work out why. That…and you decided not to tell her. At least tell us if you don't trust her."

"We know she's _very_ irresponsible," Sally added, endeavoring with all her might to grasp her daughter's attention, "So it's understandable why you'd feel this way. But your dad and I aren't like Rosie. We'll keep this between the three of us, yeah?"

Still, Sophie never answered.

Kevin shook his head from side to side, suspiring profoundly, "Soph, we're literally begging now…if you won't tell us, we'll have to force it out of you some other way. No matter what it takes, you'll discuss the problem with us and we'll help you."

"Kev, if you use force-"

"Look," On the spur of the moment, Sophie poked her head through a small gap between the wall and door, keeping it on ajar, "It's Sian okay. It's Sian-"

"Sian!?" Sally gasped, "But…Sian's a lovely, conscientious, quiet girl. She'd never go about causing mischief or mayhem, especially in your relationship. She genuinely loves you…and, even though I'm still not one-hundred percent accepting of you two, I can see she loves you. With _everything_ she has."

"Doesn't matter, she's still the problem. Well, I'm actually telling a lie…see, it's kind of the opposite way round. _I'm_ the problem," Sophie had plucked up the remaining courage and confidence to exit her tiny, box-like bedroom…yet could she pin-point her exact confrontation with Sian? Though she had foreshadowed her past fate towards her parents, she was too fearful of their disappointment, "B-But," She cleared her throat, "It's…okay, I'm not really the problem…"

"Either you are, or you aren't." Kevin rose an eyebrow.

"Now stop bumbling around and tell us for God's sake!" Sally crossed her arms firmly over her chest, "Are you the problem or not, because if you are, you've got a _lot_ of explaining to do!"

Sophie clenched her fists into little balls, gripping onto the door, "Just leave me alone, okay?! I've had enough of you two, Rosie and everyone else constantly whining and nagging and poking their noses into my business! Yes, it's to do with Sian! No, I'm not telling you or anyone what happened! Now go away! I wanna be by myself!"

She slammed the door just miliseconds later, storming back into her room and flopping back down onto the bed. Sally and Kevin remained outside, their mouths slightly agape from what they had witnessed from their incredibly angered, moody daughter.

"You think she'll ever open up?" Kevin questioned his wife following a few silent moments.

Sally knew what both her and Kevin wanted to hear, yet couldn't bring herself to stating a lie over the situation, "No Kev…I honestly don't think she will. She's exactly like you, preferring to shut her thoughts inside. And that's the problem…she isn't upfront like Rosie is. She has confidence, yes, but she can't seem to open up. It makes everything ten times worse if she won't express what she's got to say. Bottling everything inside it's extremely unhealthy…though that's what she's doing. And who are we to judge? It's her decision to make. Reckless, though it's still her decision…"


End file.
